Stop There, Daddy

The continuous rustle of pencil sliding across paper kept issuing from inside the dark room, but after only a few strokes, Wen Shuyue tossed the drawing paper into the trash can, her face troubled.

He Siming pushed open the door and the light poured in from outside the room. Wen Shuyue subconsciously looked at him. When she saw his face clearly, she lowered her head and continued to draw designs.

At the sight of the tiredness on Wen Shuyue’s face, He Siming’s heart gave a lurch. He strode up to her, snatched the pencil from her hand and was just about to say something to her when his eyes met her watery ones. After a brief moment of hesitation, he said gently, “Go out and find some inspiration. If you keep staying in this room, it’ll be very difficult for you to innovate.”

It took Wen Shuyue quite a while to come to herself. It was as though she were deaf. She nodded in a daze.

He had done that in order to help her. It had never crossed his mind that he would put her in a difficult situation. He Siming felt a pang of heartache. He reached out his hand to hold Wen Shuyue’s, stooped down and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m sorry,” he said in an almost humble voice.

Wen Shuyue stiffened momentarily. She lifted her head to look at him. “It’s not your fault. I have only my incompetence to blame for that.”

Suddenly, she broke free from his embrace and relaxedly walked out of the drawing room. She opened her arms and twirled in the garden outside. “This feels so good. I’m going to go out for a walk.”

It took He Siming a few seconds to realize what was going on. Then he saw Wen Shuyue trotting out. He caught up with her in a few long strides and took her by the hand.

“Eek?” Wen Shuyue looked at him confusedly.

“You should make yourself presentable before going out.” He Siming’s lips curled in a thin smile. “Or you’ll disgrace me.”

He Siming’s deep voice fascinated her. Then she recalled that she had not washed her face for days. She subconsciously stroked her face, positive that it was dirty.

She squinted her eyes, gave a smile and nodded at He Siming before she turned around and returned to her room.

He Siming, afraid that something might happen to her, offered to go out with her, but Wen Shuyue declined.

To get inspiration, she had to do it alone in a quiet place. With He Siming by her side, she would not be able to focus.

He Siming attributed it to his matchless charm. In a good mood, he allowed her to go outside alone.

Wen Shuyue observed the pedestrians’ sartorial choices along the way. The most common people tended to wear whatever they found comfortable. Wen Shuyue did not like showy pretentious attire. Instead, she was more interested in down-home garments.

That was why she chose to go along the road to see more people and more clothes.

She walked until dusk. When the afterglow of the sun reddened half of the city, she had fully relaxed. It was as though she had gotten rid of all the stress during the trip.

At the riverside, there was a painter holding a painting brush, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the river, his bucket hat low over his face. His slim little finger blended into the dusk.Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.

Wen Shuyue walked closer to the painter and was amazed by how vivid the river on the man’s drawing paper was. Then her eyes alighted on his outfit. All her attention was attracted.

He was wearing a linen jacket the color of which was slightly dark. It was baggy and stained with spots of paint. Clearly he had stained it when painting, but in Wen Shuyue’s eyes, the color was so relaxing and so free.

Wen Shuyue was delighted and took out her phone to take a photo. She wanted to record her momentary inspiration.

“What are you doing?!” Just as Wen Shuyue was about to take another photo, the painter suddenly jerked his head aside, strode over and snatched her cellphone from her hand. “I can sue you for infringing on my portraiture right, you know?”

With that he slid his finger across the phone screen and deleted the photo.

Why did his voice sound a little familiar?

This was the first thought that popped into Wen Shuyue’s mind.

She knitted her brows and tried hard to recall who the owner of the voice was. She did not hear the painter’s words.

Chang Ning, having noticed that Wen Shuyue was not apologizing or speaking, lost her temper. Heedless of the risk of being recognized by passers-by, she lifted her head and was just about to lecture Wen Shuyue when she saw Wen Shuyue’s face and stiffened.

“It’s you?!”

The two of them pointed at each other and exclaimed in disbelief.

Then Chang Ning sensed the gaze from some passers-by. She hurriedly pulled her hat down a little to block their view of her face.

She pulled Wen Shuyue a few paces closer to the riverside, shoved the cellphone back into Wen Shuyue’s hand and asked sourly, “What are you doing here? And why did you take a picture of me? Tell me! Are you trying to get back at me?”

“Huh?” Wen Shuyue’s mouth fell open. She did not understand what Chang Ning was talking about.

Chang Ning mistakenly believed that Wen Shuyue was playing possum. Her face fell and she said darkly, “Wen Shuyue, I don’t care who you have at your back. I suggest you leave me alone. I’m not a pushover.”

Wen Shuyue’s face instantly became serious as well. “Chang Ning, I know you think me incompetent, that I entered the contest through the back door, but no matter whether you believe it or not, I’m telling you I didn’t do that. In addition…”

Wen Shuyue paused momentarily before she resumed, “I came here only to find some inspiration. I took a picture of you merely because I liked your outfit.”

Chang Ning was astonished.

She had come out here to collect her thoughts. Lately the press had been reporting her fashion designs all along, so she had to disguise herself before coming out. She had not bargained on seeing Wen Shuyue here, or Wen Shuyue being so blunt. Surprisingly, she found Wen Shuyue pleasantly straightforward, and her words struck her as sincere.

Chang Ning tried hard to conceal her thoughts. She flicked Wen Shuyue a glance and snorted, “You may say whatever you want, but there’s no way you can fool me. I saw that man bribe the judges with money.”

Chang Ning crossed her arms over her chest and looked coldly at Wen Shuyue.

“That’s a misunderstanding.” Wen Shuyue did not know why, but she hated it when Chang Ning misunderstood her. She said earnestly, “I know there’s nothing I can say to get you to believe me, so we might as well have a competition.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll challenge you with my design during the contest in three days!”

Wen Shuyue stared straight into Chang Ning’s eyes, her face determined.

Chang Ning’s interest was piqued by her words. Her rosy lips curved in a seductive smile. “Well then, since it’s a challenge, there should be a trophy. What would you like to stake?”

After pondering for a moment, Wen Shuyue said, “If I win, I’ll need you to change your attitude toward me. I don’t expect you to be my friend, but at least we can wipe the slate clean.”

Chang Ning was momentarily surprised. It had never occurred to her that Wen Shuyue was so interested in her, but soon her face became apathetic again. “What if I win?”

“If you win…” Wen Shuyue seemed to have made up her mind. “If you win, I will quit this industry and never get involved in fashion design ever again.”

Chang Ning’s pupils abruptly contracted. “Are you sure?”

“Of course,” Wen Shuyue smiled.